


Overthinking

by Dftba99



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-06 00:17:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6729382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dftba99/pseuds/Dftba99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richard gains the ability to read minds. What he learns is much gayer than he originally anticipated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Overthinking

**Author's Note:**

> Ohhhh this is bad Oh well I'm very rusty

"Big Head, there's just no way that really works."

"It does, man! This is like, the real deal!" 

Richard scoffed. He knew that big head was gullible, but this was a new low. 

"Look, I know this sounds crazy. I didn't believe it at first either. But this is some serious shit, man. And I just, I really want you to see this," Nelson said, holding up the tiny machine. 

"If it really does work," Richard said, hesitantly staring at the device, "then why do *you* have it?" 

"People still think that I'm like, a revolutionary genius or something. After the whole nucleus thing, I started getting messages from people who wanted me to evaluate their tech. Normally I turn them down but, well, when you get an email with the phrase 'mind reading technology'  in it, that tends to pique the interest."

Richard sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Big Head. I just. There's no way that thing really reads minds. The technology isn't there yet. It's like, not even close. You know that."

"Look, I'm not gonna tell you that I completely understand what we're dealing with here. I have no clue how this thing works the way it does. All I'm asking is that you try it. This is just a prototype so it should only work for a few more hours. I guaran-fucking-tee that you'll be blown away."

Richard nervously affixed the small device to his ear before entering the house. Inside the incubator, Richard found four of his five coworkers sitting at their computers and doing absolutely nothing. Erlich, Dinesh, Gilfoyle, and Carla were all engaged in an intense discussion about whether Jurassic Park technically passes the Bechdel test. Jared, however, was hard at work at his laptop. 

'So far, so good, ' Richard thought to himself. 'Nothing out of the ordinary.' 

Big Head hadn't exactly given an in-depth explanation on how to use the device. He'd simply said 'It's hard to explain, you'll get a feel for it pretty quick'  which was about as helpful as Erlich is classy. 

Richard sat quietly at his desk. He considered telling the others to stop bickering and get back to work, but there was no point. 

Erlich stood to leave, frustrated by the conversation. 

'God sometimes I wish I lived alone. '

Richard jumped. Erlich's words weren't heard, but felt. He'd expected it to be like a whisper in his ear, if it happened at all. But instead it felt like the same way the voice in his head felt, except the voice clearly was not his own.  

Richard smiled to himself, amazed by what was happening. He needed to try someone else. Experimentally, he zeroed in on Jared. 

Jared glanced at the remaining three, still arguing. 

'Coincidentally, the fact that they're actually saying two raptors talking about murdering children is comparable to female characters having a conversation actually proves the point of the test itself.  Not that they'd actually care about that.'

Richard was beside himself. He spent the next few minutes dipping into his coworkers' thoughts. They each had their own counter argument brewing, different points about the film and feminism, and Richard had front row seats to all of them. 

As the day moved on, Richard experimented with different levels of focus. He found that by concentrating less on a person, he could feel just their abstract emotions, rather than specific thoughts. Erlich and Carla's boredom and dissatisfaction, Jared's blissful determination, Dinesh's tension, and Gilfoyle's...... Burning?  

'How am I supposed to work with an ass like that right next to me? '

Richard looked over at Gilfoyle. He was glancing at Dinesh from the corner of his eye. Richard had seen that look a thousand times, and just assumed that it was a glare of contempt. But now Richard was finding what thoughts were really behind it. 

'They can't expect me to actually get anything done when Dinesh is over here practically begging for my cock.' 

Dinesh, clearly feeling Gilfoyle's eyes on him, glanced over, only to quickly look away. 

'Come on, bitch, you know you want me. Look at me.' 

Richard saw Gilfoyle's hand move imperceptibly underneath the table. 

He tried to move his attention literally anywhere else, but the sudden heat erupting from Dinesh's mind was almost impossible to ignore. Richard realized that his face had gone bright red, and he quickly left the room. 

As he rushed for the bathroom, he heard Gilfoyle's voice from down the hall. 

"Dinesh, can I speak with you in private for a second?"

Richard didn't hear Dinesh's answer, but the footsteps heading down the hall said enough.  He turned for the bathroom and glanced over his shoulder. Gilfoyle's hand found its way into the back of Dinesh's pants as the door closed behind them. 

'I love you, you perfect idiot'

Richard immediately pulled the device out of his ear. This was bad. This thing- it can't ever be released to the public. He'd only had it for an hour or so, and he'd already been exposed to his friends'.... Relationship? It was odd to think about, but it seemed that Gilfoyle.... Has feelings? And as shocking as that revelation was, it wasn't one he was meant to have. For whatever reason, Gilfoyle and Dinesh had chosen to keep their... Whatever it was, secret. He wasn't meant to know about it. It was their personal business. This device was dangerous. It was an invasion of every person's most private thoughts. No. He had to destroy it as soon as possible and tell Big Head to never contact the developer again. 

He reached for the device and considered dropping it in the toilet.

Then again.... 

The technology really was incredible. Richard may never get a chance to experience something like this again. He'd be crazy to pass up this opportunity. Was it a despicable invasion of his friends' privacy?  Yes. But, it was for science. Yes. He had to do it. For science. 

He returned to the den with the device placed snugly in his ear. Low, muffled grunts could be heard down the hall. Richard felt himself turn red again. 

'I fucking hate this job,' Carla thought idly.  'I need like, four beers and some gentle but firm cunnilingus.'

Richard snorted in spite of himself, then quickly tried to cover it with a cough. 

"Richard?  Are you alright?  You seem distracted, " Jared asked from across the table. 

"I'm fine, Jared. Thanks though."

'Poor fucker. It's almost sad. Guy's a fucking genius and he can't figure out that Jared's crazy hard for him. Swear to God it's like every time the sad little shit looks at Richard, hungry eyes starts playing in the background. '

Richard immediately went crimson. Carla was obviously crazy, of course. Yes, Jared was devoted, but that was to the *company*, not to him. Richard could never imagine that someone so kind, so supportive, as unendingly gentle and understanding would ever think of him like- well- would think of him in a 'hungry eyes' sort of way. 

Not that he was, as Carla has so eloquently put it, 'crazy hard'  for Jared. He just, well, he'd noticed. He'd noticed curve of his back and the brightness in his eyes. But he'd have to be blind to not notice the gentle, careful way Jared dealt with things. He honestly didn't understand how the others weren't smitten with him. 

Yes. Smitten. That's less embarrassing. 

Richard looked over at Jared. Their eyes met and Jared shot him a shy smile. Richard felt hot and nervous. 

'God just kiss already' 

Carla's attention was, gratefully, directed away from Richard and Jared when Gilfoyle and Dinesh entered the room. The two looked a little disheveled, and Richard could feel confusion, shame, and guilt emanating off of them. Richard shared those emotions, guilt most of all. He shouldn't have heard what he heard. 

'Ah, here come the love birds. I should just suck it up and join their fuck club. I need me a friend with benefits.'

Gilfoyle was looking almost sadly at Dinesh. Had something went wrong? Richard's curiosity got the best of him. 

'Fuck, this is torture. I can cum on his face,  but I can't just kiss his stupid lips. That's the problem with just jumping straight to the fucking, I guess. We're all out of order now.' 

This was too much. Richard felt nauseated. He ran for the kitchen to catch his breath. He was leaning over the sink gasping for air when he heard timid footsteps approaching. 

"Richard? What's wrong?"

Richard sighed. "Jared,  can I talk to you about something?"

 Immediately, Jared's anxiety started screaming within him. His mind was a shaky chorus. 

'he knows'  'please don't hurt me'  'please don't hate me'  'please don't leave me'  'he knows he knows he-' 

"Um..."  Richard tried to focus on his own thoughts, to drown out the awful terror he'd awakened in Jared. 

"I uh, was just w-wondering-" 

'he knows. he knows. Oh God what am I gonna do' 

Richard felt like he was about to pass out. He could barely handle himself in a panic, he couldn't deal with anxiety for two. He wanted desperately to rip the device out of his ear, but how would he explain what it was?  

'Please say something. I can't do this. Please just fire me'

"Jared," Richard said a little too harshly. Jared tensed up noticeably and the frenzy in Richard's head became louder, more desperate. 

"Jared please. Everything is okay. I promise. Calm down,"  he placed his hand on Jared's shoulder in an attempt to be comforting. 

"I just-" He looked up at Jared's shining, gorgeous eyes. His throat went dry. He's so sweet, so good, so beautiful. Richard but his lip. 

'All I've ever wanted was to make you happy, Richard. Please. I love you.'

Before he could fully process what was happening, Richard's lips were on Jared's. The fear in Jared's mind dissipated and was replaced with a rapture of pure ecstasy. Richard's own joy combined with Jared's in his brain was almost too much to bear. His knees threatened to buckle as Jared's arms curled around his back. 

Richard pulled away for a moment. Even though Jared's thoughts were full of 'finally's and 'please do that again's, he still felt like he should ask. 

"Was that uh, okay? With you?"

Jared smiled and Richard felt like everything was falling into place. 

"Do you uh, do you think you'd like to go get some dinner tonight?"

The sound in his head faded as the device lost power. 

"You read my mind."


End file.
